Places to Visit

Shillong on Foot:

Shillong is
an ideal city to get around on foot, there are many shortcuts
and byways that allow an interesting and exciting outing.

Not to
miss places:

Iewduh
(Bara-Bazar) - a great place to see locals and non locals
selling and buying, from the meat, to the spice market, to
vegetables and fruits, baskets and household items, cane and
wood products, it is all here. This main bazaar is mostly run by
women under the administrative supervision of the Mylliem state.
On Iewduh, the first day of the eight-day long Khasi week,
people from all over eastern Meghalaya come to sell their
products here.

Butterfly museum - The Butterfly
Museum at Riatsamthiah holds a rare collection of butterflies,
moths and beetles. The butterflies are bred here as a
conservatory measure.

Police Bazar - It is the main shopping area for
Shillong, from the modern stores to small pan shops, emporiums,
little cafes and restaurants serving multi cuisines.

State Central Library and Museum- Meghalaya's State Museum, in
Lachumiere, has exhibits depicting tribal customs and a weaker
collection of ancient scriptures from elsewhere in India.
It has ethnographic and
archaeological objects.

Timing:

In Summer -
Monday to Saturday 10.00 am to 4.30 pm

In Winter -
10.00 am to 4.00 pm

Closed on: -
2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.

Wards Lake: It is popular for short garden walks and
boating. Built by Chief Commissioner
William Ward in 1893-94,
It is a horseshoe-shaped artificial
picture book lake complete with a white wooden Japanese like
bridge. The lake abounds
in fish (grass carps) and feeding the fish from the bridge is a
favorite pastime of the people who like to spend their evenings
there. It is said that a Khasi prisoner, who requested for any
kind of work to get him out of his cell, initiated its
construction. The lake has a charming winding walk-a-way in the
midst of rolling flowerbeds and fairyland lighting with
gradually undulating grounds, hemmed in by lush greens. Boats
are also available, while the cafeteria provides refreshments.

Lady Hydari Park:The Park is ablazed
with roses and flowers of almost every variety and weeping
willows bend into water bodies that house pelicans and the like.
There is also a mini zoo, a small museum, an aviary, a deer park
among tall cedars and pines and a butterfly museum with
colourful species preserved for sale and posterity.

Botanical Gardens:
The Botanical garden located near Ward's Lake is a secluded but
captivating spot with plethora of indigenous and exotic plants.

The Orchidarium
of the Botanical Survey of India has a rare collection of
orchids and is a treat to the nature lover.

Also worthy
of visit is the Mawphlang "Sacred groves" or virgin forest. The
forest is so sacred that even a dead leaf cannot be removed from
the area. With the sanction of religion, it is certainly a
brilliant way of preserving the ecological system.

Golf Course: The Golf Course
retains the colonial touch and is the first 18-hole golf course
in Asia. It is also the
third oldest golf course in India. It is termed as the
'Gleneagle of the East' at the United States Golf Association
Library and Museum.

Shillong and
surroundings by Taxi:The Meghalaya
Tourism Office (Ph. 226220) on Jail Road in Police Bazaar
conducts trips to Cherrapunji. The Government of India Tourist
Office (Ph. 225632) at GS Road may also be contacted for help.
Local cabs and taxis are available at all locations. The Khasi
Hills Tourist Taxi Association can also be contacted for hiring
of cabs (ph. 2223895).

Don Bosco Museum, Mawlai - It has 17 galleries showcasing the
lifestyle, characteristics and cultural aspects of the seven
states of the North East. The sculptures depicting the
subtleties and differences among the region's various ethnic
groups are a treat for the eye. It also houses an extensive
collection of nearly 10,000 books on the North East region.
Spread over seven floors, the top floor of the museum offers a
bird's-eye view of Shillong. The hexagonal building is topped by
a flame-like structure, to illustrate the coexistence of
cultures

Umiam Lake - It is located
seventeen kilometers before entering Shillong—a large lake
formed after a hydroelectric dam was built across a stream. It
has become an increasingly popular place for outings and weekend
visits. There are facilities for water sports here: from water
skiing for the adventurous to water cycling and simple boating
for the less brave. The Orchid Lake Resort which overlooks the
lake has pleasantly appointed rooms with balconies, a restaurant
and a bar.

Water Falls - The Crinoline
Falls is about 12–13 m in height and lies to the west of the
Survey of India Office. There is a swimming pool at the base of
the falls.

The Gunner’s Falls 1 is about 24–26 m in height and is near the
military establishment on the Upper Shillong road. It is about
1.6 km from the GPO.

The Spread Eagle Falls or Sati Falls is located about a mile
away from the Polo Ground. It is a famous picnic spot.

The Sweet Falls (also called “Weitden,” in the native dialect)
is the most beautiful of all the waterfalls in Shillong. It lies
about 5 km from the Happy Valley and is about 96 m in height.

The Elephant Gait and the Elephant Falls are located near Upper
Shillong. These are beautiful sights especially in the rainy
season and are favorite picnic spots among the locals. Beyond
the Elephant Falls, one can also view the Upper and Lower
Elysium Falls.

The Beadon Falls lies about 2 km from Bara Bazaar. There is a
hydroelectric powerhouse at the base of the falls. The Bishop
Falls is also nearby and together they mingle and flow into the
Umiam River.

Caves: There are numerous natural caves
all over Meghalaya. A few of them are even the longest that can
be found in the Indian Sub-continent . We can find them in the
East Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and the South Garo Hills.
Meghalaya State Tourism offers a packaged tour exclusively for
the caves.